Pakistan minister backs Hafeez Saeed's JuD, says no reason to ban it

Pakistan cannot ban the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) group led by 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed because it is a charitable and not terrorist organisation, Pakistan's minister for defence production has told Hindustan Times.

Rana Tanveer Hussain’s comments came a day after some media channels quoted unnamed Pakistani interior ministry sources as saying the government was likely to outlaw several terrorist groups, including the JuD and the Haqqani network.

"We are looking to ban terror organisations but the JuD is a charitable organisation and the government of Pakistan has no evidence against Hafiz Saeed or the JuD," Hussain told HT. Hussain differentiated between the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) – banned as a terrorist organisation by Pakistan, India and the United States among other countries – and the JuD. But both India and the US claim that JuD is actually LeT in disguise.

"Lashkar is banned in Pakistan and we have not found any linkages between JuD and LeT," Hussain said, adding Saeed had the right to address rallies as he was “not involved in any terrorist activity”.

Hafeez Saeed continues to live freely in Pakistan despite India's protests and a huge US bounty on his head. "India or the US should give us evidence and we will consider it. The JuD does not have a military wing and they are only involved in preaching Islam and working in the education field."

More outrageously, the minister also supported JuD's call for freeing Kashmir from India. "Even I refer to Kashmir as our atoot ang (inalienable part). Tomorrow you will ask for a ban against me and against all Pakistanis who support the freedom struggle in Kashmir," the minister said.

He denied pressure from the US and said his government was scrutinising terror groups because of the Peshawar school attack.

The minister said, "The JuD only pinches India, not Afghanistan or America. You can’t group it along with ISIS and al Qaeda."

He went on to blame India for lack of peace between the two nations. "We have tried our best to improve relations with India but have had a bitter experience. We have a policy for peaceful relations but the talks must be fruitful and constructive. The firing along the border does not create conducive environment for talks."